Full Breakdown
Serena Williams Returns to Professional Tennis at Queen’s Club, Partnering with Rising Star Victoria Mboko
6/7/2026, 11:42:12 AM
Serena’s Comeback on Grass Courts
Serena Williams, 44, will compete in the doubles draw of the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London next week, partnering with Canadian No. 9 ranked player Victoria Mboko. The pair entered the tournament as wild-card entrants and will face the third-seeded duo of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the first round. Williams announced the return on the tournament’s official website, describing Queen’s Club as “the perfect place to begin this next chapter” and noting that grass “has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career.”
Background: A Legendary Career and Recent Hiatus
Williams stepped away from competition after a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open. Her résumé includes 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam doubles titles (14 won with sister Venus), 367 career match wins, and 319 consecutive weeks as world No. 1. Prize-money earnings are reported as either $94 million or $95 million, reflecting slight source variation. In addition to tennis, Williams founded Serena Ventures, which raised $111 million and invests in under-represented founders.
Key Figures
- Serena Williams – 23-time singles champion, returning to professional play after a four-year break.
- Victoria Mboko – 19-year-old Canadian, ranked world No. 9 in singles, noted for her rapid ascent on the WTA tour.
- Lindsay Davenport – Former world No. 1, commenting on Williams’s return.
- Pat Davidson – Exercise physiologist quoted on GLP-1 drugs.
Data & Statistics
- Williams: 23 singles Grand Slams, 16 doubles Grand Slams, 367 wins, 319 weeks at No. 1.
- Mboko: World No. 9, age 19.
- Williams’s age: 44; Williams’s weight loss: 34 lb after using GLP-1 medication (Ro).
- Upcoming events: Berlin Open (following Queen’s) and Wimbledon (starts 28 June).
Official Statements & Responses
Williams told the tournament, “Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.” She added that each added tournament “feels special,” highlighting the Berlin Open as the next stop. Mboko posted on Instagram, “The Queen is back… an honor to share the court with one of the greatest athletes of all time.” Davenport praised the comeback, saying it brings “excitement about a player returning” and noting Williams “looks in incredible shape.”
Criticism & Opposition: GLP-1 Use and Performance Concerns
Williams’s public endorsement of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss has drawn attention from medical professionals. While she promotes FDA-approved uses for blood-sugar control and clinical weight loss, doctors caution against unsupervised use for performance enhancement. Exercise physiologist Pat Davidson described GLP-1s as “the most powerful drug we’ve ever seen for helping people lose body fat,” but emphasized the need for medical supervision. Some observers question whether the timing of the comeback aligns with potential Wimbledon wild-card allocations, though no formal criticism of intent has been recorded.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Prize Money: Sources list $94 million and $95 million, a $1 million discrepancy.
- Future Singles Play: Williams has not confirmed participation in Wimbledon singles or the 2026 US Open, leaving her schedule uncertain.
- GLP-1 Regimen Details: Exact dosage and medical oversight for Williams’s GLP-1 treatment are not disclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” — Serena Williams, player
- “The Queen is back,” — Victoria Mboko, player (Instagram)
- “I'm moving better on Ro,” — Serena Williams, GLP-1 endorsement
- “It's the most powerful drug we've ever seen for helping people lose body fat,” — Pat Davidson, exercise physiologist
- “I think it's great. So many stories sometimes in our sport go negative. And I love that there's an excitement about a player returning. It's going to be great to see her back out there.” — Lindsay Davenport, former world No. 1
What’s Next
Williams’s next appearance will be at the Berlin Open, where the first batch of Wimbledon wild-cards for singles and doubles is expected to be announced. Her performance at Queen’s will inform speculation about a potential wild-card entry into Wimbledon’s doubles draw, scheduled to begin on 28 June.
